The Beast Within, Part II
by MegEl
Summary: After carrying on a secret affair with Vincent, Catherine makes a shocking discovery. How will her coworkers deal? How will Vincent deal? More importantly, how will SHE deal?
1. The Test

SUMMARY: Sequel to "The Beast Within". After carrying on a secret affair with Vincent, Catherine makes a shocking discovery. How will her coworkers deal? How will Vincent deal? More importantly, how will _she_ deal?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, nor am I affiliated with the show in any way, shape, or form. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. That said, enjoy!

A/N: A special thanks to all who reviewed the preview that I posted in part one. And to adodcefa, thanks anyway for the ideas. :)

A/N #2: Since we ended up with a tie regarding the ending of chapter one (and I just couldn't wait any longer for someone to come along and break it), I finally decided to come up with the following compromise. Hope everyone's okay with it. :)

* * *

"This is nice," Catherine remarked, smiling. Since Heather was out clubbing with her friends, she and Vincent had the apartment to themselves for a while, and were currently preparing dinner together. Catherine was cutting up vegetables, while beside her, Vincent did the same.

Returning her smile, he replied, "Yeah, it is."

And it was. It was nice to feel normal, nice to not have to hide in the shadows, nice to act like he and Catherine had a nice, normal relationship.

Glancing up every now and then to watch Vincent, his strong arms flexing as he chopped up a tomato, Catherine silently wondered why guys in the kitchen were such a turn-on, before stopping what she was doing to check on the pasta sauce she was making. She took a taste of it, before wrinkling her nose and asking him to taste it as well.

"Does this taste funny to you?" she asked, holding out a long wooden spoon and using her other hand to keep the sauce from dripping.

"Tastes fine to me," he assured her, shrugging.

"That's weird," she said, placing the spoon back into the pot of sauce.

Noticing some of the sauce had dripped onto her thumb, she was about to lick it off, when he stopped her and instead brought her thumb to his lips. Slowly, sensually, he took her thumb into his mouth and sucked until the sauce was gone. Judging from the look on her face and the sudden change in her scent, he was having an effect on her. That, in turn, had an effect on him.

When he finally released her hand, she teased, "Why, Dr. Keller, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to seduce me."

"And here I thought I was being subtle," he replied.

Without another word, he wrapped his muscular arms around her waist, pulled her closer to him, and kissed her tenderly. He trailed his kisses down to her neck, then picked her up, her legs automatically wrapping around his waist as she enjoyed him ever-so-lightly nibbling on her neck. He absently reached to turn off the stove, the meal momentarily forgotten, before carrying her to the living room and laying her gently down on the couch.

Covering her body with his, he moved his mouth down to her chest, slowly unbuttoning her shirt as he went along. He peeled it off of her as if unwrapping a precious gift, then did the same with her bra. His reverence for her sent a tingle through her body and made her want him even more.

While his thumbs teased her nipples, his mouth kissed its way down to her pants. After helping her out of the rest of her clothes, he slowly, torturously rubbed her clitoris, until one orgasm after another vibrated through her. Slipping a couple of fingers inside her velvety heat, he continued to rub her clitoris while pumping his digits into her, and she was soon overtaken by yet another orgasm, then another.

Knowing she was ready for him, he stripped off his own clothes and prepared to enter her, when she stopped him and instead took his stiffness into her mouth. As she moved up and down his manhood, using her tongue to tease the tip, it excited her even more to hear him groan, and even softly growl, in pleasure. Before he would've climaxed, however, he stopped her, his stiffness protesting at the sudden pause in pleasure. Instead, he decided to give them both what they so desperately needed.

Filling her completely with his impressive length, he began a slow, steady rhythm, wanting to savor every moment he was inside her. As they spiralled towards their climax, her moans and words of encouragement spurred him on, and likewise, his moans and groans added to her enjoyment. Finally, he flooded her with his seed as they were both rocked by an earth-shattering orgasm.

After, as they waited to catch their breaths and for their heartbeats to slow back down, he looked her right in the eye and told her tenderly, "I love you, Catherine."

"I love you too, Vincent," she replied, returning his loving gaze.

...

The following morning, Catherine arrived outside a swanky brownstone, the scene of a recent homicide, and greeted her partner, "Hey, Tess. What have we got?"

Indicating the homicide victim, Tess replied, "DB's Bill Garringer, late 30's. That's his wife over there. She says he - Hey, you okay?"

Evan, who was leaning over the dead body, turned his head towards the two detectives and, though concerned, said nothing as Catherine held her wrist to her mouth in an effort to keep from seeing breakfast again.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Catherine answered, trying to regain control of her gag reflex. "You were saying?"

Keeping an eye on her partner, Tess reluctantly continued, "She says he stepped outside to get the paper, and two seconds later, she heard gunshots."

Finally overwhelmed by the stench of the corpse, Catherine rushed to a nearby alley and heaved. Evan wanted to follow and make sure she was alright, but he decided to leave that up to Tess.

"Hey, you sick or something?" Tess asked, handing her partner a napkin. "You normally have an iron stomach."

"I'm fine," Catherine assured her, using the napkin to wipe at the corners of her mouth. "Must've been something I ate."

"If you say so," Tess told her dubiously. "You're sure you're not coming down with something?"

"I'm sure."

"Then maybe it's...ya know, morning sickness."

"What?" Catherine laughed a little at that, not sure if she had heard her partner right. "Of course not. That would be imposs- Well, not _impossible_. More like improbable."

"So, you and Evan haven't been doing the horizontal tango?"

"Me and Evan? Definitely not."

"Well, that's good, because if you and Evan become a thing, I want to be the first to know."

Laughing off Tess's last remark, Catherine started to accompany her partner back to their crime scene, adding, "Come on. Let's get back to the case."

...

That afternoon, at the station, Catherine was returning to her desk with a couple of case-related files, her stomach already feeling better, when she noticed her desk drawer was slightly open. Setting down the files, she opened it further, only to find a small cardboard box inside.

Sighing, she held up the box for her partner to see and asked, "Tess, what is this?"

"What's it look like?" Tess replied, playing dumb.

"It looks like a home pregnancy test, but it couldn't be since I already told you that I'm not pregnant. This morning was just something I ate. In fact, I already feel better."

"See? _Morning_ sickness," Tess teased. "Seriously, though, what could could it hurt to take the test and be sure? And don't tell me you haven't been getting any because you're happier than you've been in a while."

Conceding her point, Catherine said nothing, but instead quickly stuffed the offending box into her purse and returned to work. She wound up forgetting all about it for the rest of the day as she focused all her brainpower into the case, though she and Tess weren't able to make much headway. However, when she returned home that night and set her purse on the counter, it seemed to stare out at her from the black hole of her handbag.

While she was a couple of days late that month, she had attributed it to the stress of lying to everyone but Vincent and having to watch what she said. Now, though, Tess's words seemed to come back to her: _What could it hurt to take the test and be sure?_

"This is ludicrous!" she laughingly declared to the empty apartment. "I am not..."

As her gaze again settled on the test currently residing in her purse, though, she just couldn't bring herself to finish that thought.

"Ugh, what the hell?" She finally grabbed the cardboard box and headed for the bathroom.

After reading the instructions and running back into the kitchen for a timer, she opened the box and started the test, making sure to follow the instructions to the letter. As she waited for the timer to finish counting down so she could receive the results, she thought of how she would break the news to Vincent if the test gave her a not-false positive, and tried to imagine what his reaction would be. Then, she started to wonder about her own reaction. Would she be happy if it turned out she was pregnant? Would she be disappointed? Would she be disappointed if the test came up negative, or would she feel relieved?

Getting up from where she sat on the bathtub's edge, she went to the mirror and turned sideways, trying to imagine what she would look like pregnant, trying to wrap her head around the fact that something might be growing inside of her. Before she could contemplate further, though, the timer went off, interrupting her thoughts and nearly making her jump out of her skin.

Picking up the test, she waited for what felt like an eternity as the small screen slowly gave up its result.

Finally, she had her answer: plus sign for positive.

She let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding, and stared at the plus sign for the longest time, trying to process what it meant. Assessing her emotional state, she was surprised to find that she was actually kinda happy about the result. However, the logical part of her brain reasoned that maybe she wasn't ready, that kids are expensive, and that the situation between her and Vincent wasn't exactly ideal. After all, she couldn't exactly introduce him to her friends and family, much less claim him as the father of her child on the birth certificate. Still, though, much to her own surprise, she had already made up her mind that she was going to keep this baby. Vincent's baby.

"Now," she wondered aloud, though she had the apartment all to herself, "how am I gonna tell Vincent?"

At least, she thought she had the apartment to herself. Suddenly, the bathroom door burst open, eliciting a gasp of surprise from her, as well as an exclamation of "Vincent!"

"Tell me what?" he asked.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

A/N #3: So, what do y'all think? Do y'all like the compromise I came up with? Was there more I could've added regarding Catherine learning she was pregnant and processing it, or did I handle it sufficiently?


	2. Vincent's Reaction

SUMMARY: Sequel to "The Beast Within". After carrying on a secret affair with Vincent, Catherine makes a shocking discovery. How will her coworkers deal? How will Vincent deal? More importantly, how will _she_ deal?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, nor am I affiliated with the show in any way, shape, or form. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. That said, enjoy!

A/N: Thanks to all who followed and favorited, and a special thanks to all who took the time to review. :)

A/N #2: Sorry it took me so long to update, but I'm not even exaggerating when I say that I've had to rewrite this chapter several times to get it the way I like. Hope y'all like it too. :)

* * *

"Tell me what?" Vincent asked.

"Uh..." was all Catherine could manage. Realizing she was still holding the incriminating pregnancy test, she quickly hid it behind her back, but wasn't quite quick enough.

Apparently having glimpsed it, he next asked, "You're pregnant?"

Knowing the cat was out of the bag, she went ahead and showed him the test. Much as she herself had done moments ago, he stared at the plus sign, trying to process this latest development. Finally, he turned and headed for her bedroom window, making to exit her apartment.

"Vincent, wait!" she called out, following him.

Straddling the windowsill, he regretfully told her, "Catherine, I'm sorry, but whatever it is that you want me to say, I can't say it right now. I need some time to process this, to figure things out."

"I'm sorry," he repeated, then left.

Just then, the front door opened and Heather's voice came filtering in, asking Catherine if she was home.

"Hey, Heather," Catherine greeted her sister, closing the window. Then, realizing she was _still_ holding the pregnancy test, she quickly disposed of it, deciding to hold off on telling Heather.

...

Later, as Vincent ambled in the direction of home, or at least what passed for home, he tried to wrap his head around Catherine being pregnant. With his child. Some logical part of him came up with a million different reasons why this news wasn't exactly good: he couldn't exactly provide for Catherine and their baby; there might come a time when he and J.T. would have to go on the run from Muirfield; the poor kid, who didn't even asked to be conceived anyway, was likely to take after dear old dad, and not in a good way (his mind shied away from thinking of his offspring as a monster).

But on the other hand, there was another part of him that didn't care about all that. To that part of him, the fact that he and Catherine had created a child together seemed almost too good to be true. To that part of him, there was hope that someday he could be normal again. To that part of him, Catherine and the baby were the best things to ever happen to him.

He tried to imagine Catherine swollen with advanced pregnancy, and in his mind, she was radiant. In fact, not only could he picture her pregnant, but his mind, almost of its own volition, started to daydream about the three of them - Catherine, the baby, and himself - forming a family.

In his mind's eye, he saw himself coming home to them after a long but satisfying day of helping people at the hospital. He saw Catherine and himself making dinner together, unable to keep their hands off each other. He saw them sitting down as a family to enjoy a meal together, the dinner table alive with conversation. And later in the evening, after the dishes had been washed and their son or daughter had been put to bed, he saw himself making love to Catherine, before falling asleep with her in his arms.

Jolting himself out of his reverie, he realized that tears stung at his eyes as his heart ached for what he thought he could never have.

...

Returning home, Vincent found J.T. watching some Knicks game on TV. As he took a seat on the couch, J.T. took one glance at the look on Vincent's face and asked, "What'd Catherine do this time?"

"Nothing. She's...she's pregnant," Vincent informed him, still not quite believing it himself.

"Pregnant? As in, with _your_ kid?"

When Vincent nodded by way of reply, J.T. asked, "What are the signs of a heart attack? Because I think I'm having one."

"You're not having a heart attack, J.T."

"How could you two have let this happen? Never mind. I don't want to know."

"What is so bad about Catherine having my baby?" Vincent was surprised by his own question, both because of the reasons he'd already come up with why it wasn't such a blessed event and because he actually liked the sound of it. It was then that he realized that despite his concerns, he was truly happy about being an expectant father. And who would make a better mother than Catherine? He just hoped that she would decide to keep it.

"What's so bad?" J.T. echoed, ignoring the smile that crept slowly up Vincent's face. "Here, let me count the ways."

J.T. began rattling off all the reasons Vincent had already considered, and then some.

"And furthermore, this place isn't exactly baby-friendly!" J.T. concluded.

Still smiling, Vincent asked, "You done?"

"You haven't heard a word I've said, have you?"

"Nope," Vincent happily replied, shaking his head. He then stood and headed back out into the night.

"Wait. Where are you going?" J.T. asked Vincent's retreating form. The sound of the door closing was his only reply. "Oh, fine!"

TO BE CONTINUED...


	3. The Cat's Out of the Bag

SUMMARY: Sequel to "The Beast Within". After carrying on a secret affair with Vincent, Catherine makes a shocking discovery. How will her coworkers deal? How will Vincent deal? More importantly, how will _she_ deal?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, nor am I affiliated with the show in any way, shape, or form. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. That said, enjoy!

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update, but I've been in the process of moving lately and been without Internet since Sunday. Anyway, a _very_ special thanks to all who patiently awaited the next chapter, to all who followed and favorited, and especially to all who took the time to review. :)

A/N #2: To **adodcefa**, hope you don't mind that while I didn't use one your ideas, I did take inspiration from it for the first part of this chapter.

* * *

When Catherine awoke the following morning, she was pleasantly surprised to find a single red rose on her nightstand, along with a note in Vincent's handwriting that read, "Catherine, you are my light in the darkness, and if you decide to keep it, our baby will be, too."

Smiling, she deeply inhaled the flower's fragrance, before tracking down a slender vase in which to put it. As she got ready for work, she found herself pausing every so often to admire it on her nightstand, her smile returning automatically as her mind turned to Vincent each time. During one such pause, though, she was snapped out of her thoughts by Heather's voice asking to use her shower.

"The hot water in my bathroom isn't working again," Heather explained.

"Sure," Catherine replied. However, as Heather headed into the bathroom and shut the door behind her, Catherine suddenly remembered that the box the pregnancy test had come in was still in the trash, in plain view of anyone who went in there. Eyes bugging out in alarm, Catherine called through the bathroom door, "Wait! Heather!"

Too little, too late, as she soon learned. Heather emerged, holding the cardboard box and beaming at her sister.

"Oh my god, you're pregnant?!" she shrieked, before pulling Catherine into the tightest bear hug she'd ever been in.

"Heather. Heather! Air."

"Oh, sorry." Heather finally let her go, before asking, "So...who's the father? It's not Evan, is it?"

"No, definitely not Evan," Catherine replied, suddenly finding the floor fascinating.

"Well, so, who is it?"

"Just this...guy I've been seeing," she reluctantly admitted, hoping Heather would leave it at that and at the same time, knowing that she wouldn't.

"What guy?"

"Just this guy."

"Well, what's his name? What does he do?"

"Vincent. And he's a doctor."

"Ooh, a doctor." Heather was intrigued. "Well, what's his last name?"

"Uh...Zalanski," Catherine lied, thinking of a childhood crush.

"Well, does he know you're pregnant? Are you two going to get married? I mean, not that you _have_ to get married. Are you taking him to Dad and Brooke's wedding?"

"What is this, twenty questions?" Catherine laughed nervously.

"Well, does he?"

"Yes, he does. And to answer your other questions, I don't know. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to finish getting ready for work," she concluded goodnaturedly, glad for an excuse to put an end to this conversation, or at least, put it on hold for now. "Oh, and Heather?"

"Yeah?"

"Please don't say anything to Dad about me, about my...condition. I want to tell him myself."

"Right. Gotcha."

...

As soon as Catherine had arrived at work, Tess gleefully greeted her, "So, kitty Cat, what's the verdict?"

"Kitty Cat? Okay, first of all, you are way too perky for this time of day, and secondly, what verdict?"

"Oh, don't give me that. You know..." Tess trailed off, gesturing around her middle and looking pointedly at Catherine.

"Tess!" Catherine looked around, hoping none of her coworkers caught that.

"Well?"

Reluctantly, Catherine quietly informed her, "You were right. I'm pregnant."

"Yes! I knew it! Wolansky owes me ten bucks."

"Wolansky knows?!" Catherine asked, her eyes wide in alarm.

"Yeah, him and a couple others," Tess replied, shrugging. "But it's not like everyone wouldn't have found out eventually."

While Catherine glanced around at her coworkers, wondering which ones knew, her partner asked, "So, who's the baby daddy?"

"This guy I've been seeing," Catherine responded, hoping Tess wouldn't feel inclined to pry. However, when Tess looked about to say something, she realized that her luck wasn't going that great so far and quickly added, "His name's Vincent, and he's a doctor."

"Who's a doctor?" came Evan's voice from behind Catherine.

When Catherine turned around to reply to Evan, she was smacked in the nose with the smell of his coffee. Cop coffee, at that. She turned green around the gills, then, without another word, ran for the bathroom.

"Was it something I said?" Evan asked Tess.

Tess shrugged, playing dumb.

Handing Tess his coffee, he failed to notice the glare she directed at him as he followed after Catherine and waited for her outside the ladies' room. When she finally emerged, he asked if she was alright.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied.

"You sure? Because that's twice in as many days you've run off like that."

"I'm sure, Evan, but thanks for asking." Seeing that he wasn't going to let this go, she sighed, adding, "Alright. But you can't tell anyone about this; at least, not until I'm ready for everyone here to know."

Evan only nodded. That's when Catherine let him in on the secret: "I'm pregnant."

As Evan registered that bit of news, his features went from a blank kind of stunned to disappointed. Finally, he plastered a smile on his face, and said, "Well, that certainly explains your reaction to my cup of coffee a moment ago. And to the corpse yesterday. My congratulations. And to the father-to-be as well."

"Thank you. I will be sure to pass that along."

An awkward silence fell between them, before Evan suddenly remembered why he had approached Catherine and Tess in the first place. He explained that he found something unusual when examining Bill Garringer, and even showed her the contents of a file folder she hadn't even realize he'd been holding.

"Hunh, that is strange," she remarked, taking the folder from him. "Well, I'll be sure to tell Tess."

"Right," he replied awkwardly. "And I guess I better get back to work."

"Okay," Catherine said, so engrossed in the folder's contents that she was unaware of the awkward tone in his voice.

With that, he headed back to his lab, while she headed back to her desk, still studying the folder's contents.

...

That night, when Catherine arrived home, her phone rang right as she was walking in the front door, the caller ID reading 'Dad'.

"Hey, Dad," she answered, setting her purse on the counter.

She had a sneaking suspicion that despite promising not to, Heather had blabbed to their father about the little bun in Catherine's oven, and sure enough, that was the first topic of conversation.

_Speak of the devil_, she thought as Heather walked in just then_._

"Hey, Cat," she greeted cheerfully.

Pointing to the phone and not looking particularly happy, Catherine mouthed the words, "It's Dad."

That changed Heather's features from cheerful to horrified, and sent the youngest Chandler sister heading for her room in a hurry. Silently rolling her eyes, Catherine returned to the conversation at hand.

"Well, Dad, he's a doctor, and his name is Vincent. No, Dad, I don't know if I'll be bringing him to your and Brooke's wedding. Well, he is a doctor, so I don't know what his schedule's going to be like. Besides, I don't know if I'm ready for him to meet the family just yet." She rolled her eyes again, this time at her usage of a cliched lie. "Yes, I realize that being my baby's father makes him practically family anyway. No, Dad, you don't have to worry about me."

Rubbing her temples, she was finally overwhelmed by the inadvertent guilt her father was giving her, and reluctantly agreed to 'see what she could do' about bringing Vincent to the wedding. After exchanging goodbyes, she and her father finally hung up, before she returned her attention to her baby sister.

Peeking her head out of her room, Heather asked, "How mad are you right now?"

Sighing, Catherine replied, "I'm not mad. I just wish you would've given me a chance to tell Dad in my own way."

Stepping out into the hall, Heather told her, "I'm sorry, Cat, but you know I have a hard time keeping secrets."

"It's okay," Catherine assured her, giving her sister a reassuring hug.

When they pulled out of the hug, Heather instantly perked up, pointing out, "Hey, look at it this way. At least, now the _Cat's_ out of the bag."

Shooting Heather a sarcastic smile, Catherine replied, "Cute. Very cute."

TO BE CONTINUED...


	4. Introducing Vincent Zalanski

SUMMARY: Sequel to "The Beast Within". After carrying on a secret affair with Vincent, Catherine makes a shocking discovery. How will her coworkers deal? How will Vincent deal? More importantly, how will _she_ deal?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, nor am I affiliated with the show in any way, shape, or form. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. That said, enjoy!

A/N: A very special thanks to all who patiently awaited the next chapter, to all who followed and favorited, and especially to all who took the time to review. :)

* * *

Later, as Catherine returned to her room to change out of her work clothes, she let out a soft gasp of surprise, having found Vincent at her window.

"You'd think I'd be used to that by now," she remarked, laughing at her own foolishness.

He smirked at her, though not at her reaction. "'Cat's out of the bag.' I gotta remember that one."

"Not if you want to live long enough to worry about Muirfield," she joked.

"Pregnancy hormones are already kicking in, I see," he jokingly retorted, climbing inside her room. Glancing over at her nightstand, he added, "I see you got the rose."

Smiling warmly, she replied, "Yes. And thank you. It's beautiful."

Becoming serious, Vincent asked, "So...have you come to a decision about the baby, or do you still need time?"

"Vincent, my mind was already made up by the time the test turned positive."

He waited for what felt like forever to hear her decision, when, finally, she told him that she was keeping the baby. He was so ecstatic that he picked her up by the waist and spun her around a couple of times. When he suddenly remembered about her condition, however, he quickly set her back down.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "I was just so happy..."

"It's okay," she assured him, her warm smile returning. "I'm pregnant, not made of porcelain."

She then shifted gears, making it her turn to become serious. Awkwardly, she began, "So, um, listen. As you may have overheard, Dad and Heather already know about the baby. And they're not the only ones. Tess and Evan know too."

"Okay," Vincent replied, taking it in stride. "It's not like they wouldn't have found out eventually anyway."

"Well, there's more: Dad wants you as my plus-one at his wedding so he can meet you."

"Okay," he repeated, still unfazed. "I'm going to have to meet him eventually, especially now that you're having my baby."

"Wow," he added, marveling at that last bit. "I still can't get over it. You're having my baby. I wish I could shout it from the rooftops."

"That's sweet, but that probably wouldn't be wise," she pointed out, smiling at seeing him downright beaming. Suddenly thinking of something, she became pensive, adding, "You know, maybe there is a way you could go to my dad's wedding. I told Heather earlier that your name was Vincent Zalanski."

"Zalanski?" he asked, curious as to how she had come up with the name.

"I had this huge crush on him in kindergarten," she clarified.

"Ah. Okay, so, where's this Zalanski from?"

"Somewhere I have no relatives. Like Denver."

"Denver. So I was probably a skier before I moved here."

"When you weren't busy saving lives in the E.R.," she corrected, smiling.

"I like the sound of my Denver life." He smiled in return.

As their smiles faded, she asked, "But what about Vincent Keller? I mean, you've been working for years to fly under the radar. What if you're exposed? Is that a risk you're willing to take?"

"It doesn't feel like a risk," he insisted.

"Well, what about my dad? You're going to be Vincent Zalanski to him forever, and that's not fair to you."

"I can handle being Vincent Zalanski forever. Especially if it means I can have a semi-normal life with you and our son or daughter."

Eventually, albeit reluctantly, Catherine relented.

"Well, if you're sure..."

Taking her hands in his, he replied, "The only thing I'm more sure about is you and this baby."

As they stared into each others' eyes, Catherine's own eyes glistened with unshed tears. Eventually, their lips met, and before long, he felt himself being pulled towards her bed and then down on top of her. In the heat of the moment, she helped him shed his coat, and he in turn helped her out of her shirt, both heedless of the rest of the world.

Before any more clothes could be removed, however, Heather burst in on them, causing them to spring apart like two teenagers caught by their parents.

"Hey, Catherine, I - Oh. Oops. Sorry." Heather suddenly found the walls and ceiling fascinating. "Am I, uh, interrupting something?"

"Heather!" Catherine scrambled to slip her shirt back on, while Vincent found his coat and held on to it. When she wasn't so flustered, Catherine stood, calmly making introductions.

"Ah, so you're the famous Vincent Zalanski," Heather told him, moving to shake his hand. "It's nice to finally meet you."

"Uh, you, too," he replied, giving her a tight smile and shifting his coat to his other hand so he could shake.

An awkward silence followed, before Vincent declared, "I...better go. Ladies, if you'll excuse me..."

With that, he brushed past Heather and headed for the front door.

Turning to her sister, Heather inquired, "Was it something I said?"

...

The day of Thomas Chandler's wedding had finally arrived, and while the Chandler sisters finished setting up for the ceremony, Vincent arrived, resplendent in a tux.

"Wow," Catherine greeted, beaming at him. "You look really handsome."

"Yeah, I clean up nice, don't I?" Looking her up and down in her burgundy bridesmaid dress, he reverently added, "You look...amazing."

"Thank you." She exchanged a quick peck with him, before leaning in and whispering, "Last chance to turn tail and run. I can always tell everyone something came up at work."

"Not a chance. I'm here because I want to be. Besides, we already got our story down."

"Alright, well, why don't you have a seat?" she asked, indicating the rows and rows of chairs behind her. "I'm sure everyone else will be here shortly."

"Unless you and your sister need me to help out?"

"Oh, I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking," he pointed out, smiling. "I'm offering."

"Well...okay," she relented, taking him up on his offer.

Heather watched with a smile as Vincent and her sister worked very closely putting the finishing touches on the wedding.

"There. Done," Catherine declared once everything was in place. "Thanks for your help."

"No problem."

They spent a good thirty seconds just gazing into each others' eyes and smiling. Eventually, the rest of the guests arrived and the ceremony got underway. Afterwards, Catherine and Heather congratulated their dad and new stepmom, before the eldest Chandler sister introduced them to Vincent.

After pleasantries were exchanged, Thomas Chandler asked, "So, Vincent, where are you from originally?"

"Denver," he answered, hoping he didn't sound like he and Catherine had gone over his fake backstory several times.

From there, the Chandler patriarch, his new bride, and his youngest offspring asked question after question about Vincent and his life in Denver, all of which he readily answered, having done his research beforehand. Then, they moved on to questions about his and Catherine's relationship, including how they met and how long they'd been seeing each other, and about the little bun in Catherine's oven.

Finally, Catherine was able to pull Vincent away from her family long enough for the two to share a slow-dance. As Charlene Soraia's cover of "Wherever You Will Go" played, Catherine and Vincent felt like they were the only two people on the dance floor.

"I'm sorry about my family," she apologized.

"It's okay," he assured her. "They mean well."

"Yeah, they do." After a moment, she added, "I'm really glad you came, Vincent."

"Me, too."

For the rest of the song, they danced in bliss. When it was over, however, Vincent's smile faded as he noticed a familiar face across the room.

"Looks like Heather also brought a date," he remarked, "and it's someone we both know."

Following Vincent's gaze, Catherine found her sister conversing with Evan and replied, "That's strange. I thought she was bringing her boyfriend Josh. I hope everything's okay."

"Well, do you want to go check on her?"

"Yeah, I think I'd better. Excuse me for a moment, will you, Vincent?"

Nodding understandingly, he told her, "No problem. I'm just going to go get something to eat for the both of us. Or, should I say, for the three of us?"

That brought their smiles back.

When Catherine reached Heather and Evan, she greeted them, before politely asking Evan what he was doing there. Before he could respond, though, Heather beat him to the punch.

"He's my date," she informed Catherine.

"What happened to Josh? Are you two fighting?" Catherine asked, concerned.

"You could say that," Heather replied. "He broke up with me. And right before the wedding, too."

"That bastard!" Catherine opined. "Oh, well, his loss."

"Yes, and his loss is my gain," Evan smoothly interjected, raising his glass and smiling charmingly.

"Hear, hear!" Catherine cheered, while Heather raised her glass as well, adding, "I'll drink to that."

After taking a sip, Heather changed topics suddenly and asked her sister, "Hey, did you know that Evan just got some major grant on DNA research?"

"DNA? Really?" Catherine turned to Evan, puzzled and slightly worried.

Once again, Heather replied before Evan had a chance to.

Heather told her excitedly, "Yeah, apparently, there's some weird DNA that's mutating or something."

That kicked Catherine's concern up a couple notches, but she tried not to show it as she turned once more to Evan and queried, "Mutating? How?"

He explained, "The samples from the cases that I collected, including your mum's, indicate that the L2 capsids are targeting changes in the basic structure of the DNA."

Catherine and Heather exchanged looks of confusion, hoping the other knew what he was talking about, so Evan clarified excitedly, "Well, so, this means that they're coming from the same being. And whatever it is, it's changing. Basically, the animal nucleotides are taking over from the human ones."

Catherine stole a hand to her abdomen, though thankfully, neither of her companions noticed.

"So...he's becoming less human?" she asked, before amending, "Or, it."

Thankfully, neither of her companions noticed her verbal lapse either. She excused herself as politely as she could, then turned and headed for her and Vincent's table.

"I didn't know if you wanted chicken or steak, so I got both," he told her, indicating the two plates next to him. He then asked, "So, is everything okay on the sister front?"

"Yeah. Fine," she said dazedly, taking a seat next to him.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah." Snapping out of her daze, she corrected, "Actually, no. You know how you said you felt different?"

He nodded, so she continued, "I think I know why. Evan's been studying you, your DNA. He said it's mutating. He said it's becoming more..." She trailed off, unable to finish that thought.

"More what? What did he say?"

Finally, she looked at him sadly and concluded, "He said it's becoming more animal."

"No," he scoffed. "No, I feel great."

"What if that's what those blackouts were?" she asked quietly, not wanting to believe it herself. "Vincent, what if the baby..."

"No, we can't think like that," he insisted, trying to keep the fear from welling up. "The baby's going to be fine."

"I wish I could believe that," she remarked softly, tears already forming in her eyes.

Before he could say anything more to comfort her, Heather approached to remind Catherine that it was time for her toast.

"What's wrong?" Heather inquired.

"Oh, nothing," Catherine replied, quickly wiping away the tears.

"You sure?" Heather was still concerned. "Because if you're not feeling a hundred percent, I could give your toast instead."

"No, I'm fine. Really," she asserted, to both Heather and Vincent.

Putting on a happy face, Catherine stepped up to the mic, and got everyone's attention.

"Hi," she greeted the wedding guests nervously. "Um, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Catherine Chandler."

She laughed nervously, before resuming, "Um, I'm my dad's daughter, his oldest daughter. Um..." Indicating some pieces of paper with her toast written on them, she confessed, "Okay, I wrote this speech, like, a week ago. And...seeing the way that my dad and Brooke look at each other, it...sums up more than these four pages can."

Everyone smiled at that, though Vincent's was tinged with sadness.

Settling her gaze on Vincent, she added, "You know, the funny thing is, is that - "

Suddenly, she was overtaken by a cramp and doubled over in pain.

"The funny thing is - " she tried again, but another cramp hit her and she doubled over again.

"Some- something's wrong," she managed.

Vincent got up so fast he knocked over his chair and was at her side in an instant.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

A/N #2: I apologize for any of the mistakes contained in this chapter with regards to the episode "Bridesmaid Up!", but I'm working from memory as well as a transcript.


	5. Code Red

SUMMARY: Sequel to "The Beast Within". After carrying on a secret affair with Vincent, Catherine makes a shocking discovery. How will her coworkers deal? How will Vincent deal? More importantly, how will _she_ deal?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own the characters, nor am I affiliated with the show in any way, shape, or form. This story is purely for entertainment purposes. That said, enjoy!

A/N: I am so, so sorry that it took me so long to update, but I ran into some _major_ writer's block towards the end. Anyway, as always, a _very_ special thanks to all who patiently awaited the next chapter, to all who followed and favorited, and especially to all who took the time to review. Oh, and thanks to my totally awesome boyfriend who helped bulldoze right through my writer's block. :)

* * *

"Something's wrong," Catherine repeated.

Fear gripped Vincent as he held Catherine, so much so that he felt himself changing, losing control. Instead, he forced himself to concentrate on Catherine and the baby's vitals, and on helping them. Finally, he got himself under control, just as Heather rushed over and attached herself to Catherine's other side.

"Cat? Cat! Oh my God!" Heather exclaimed. "Somebody call for an ambulance!"

"There's no time," Vincent informed her.

He instructed Heather to go get her car, and while she complied, he lifted Catherine bridal-style as if she weighed nothing at all and carried her through the crowd of wedding guests. When finally he reached Heather's awaiting vehicle, he gently laid her down in the back seat, then slid in next to her and rested her head in his lap.

On the way to the hospital, Vincent stroked Catherine's hair, and offered her words of comfort.

Biting her lip anxiously, Heather kept glancing in the rearview mirror at Vincent and her sister, before asking, "How's she doing back there, Vincent?"

"She's still in a lot of pain," he announced grimly, wishing vainly that there was something he could do for her and the baby.

"Hey," came Catherine's voice, weak but indignant, "I'm right here."

Vincent and Heather smiled a little at that, taking it as a good sign, given the circumstances.

For the rest of the way, Vincent took it upon himself to keep Catherine's mind off the pain, both physical and emotional.

"So, what are you hoping for?" he asked.

"I don't care," she replied weakly. "As long as the baby's healthy."

"Well, have you thought about any names?"

"Well, I'm partial to Vincent for a boy," she replied, managing a smile.

"What about Michael, after my dad?"

"Hmm, Vincent Michael," she considered. "Has a nice ring to it."

"Or Michael Vincent."

"That sounds good, too. Okay, so, what about a girl?"

"Vanessa, after your mom?"

"I think she'd like that."

They continued to discuss baby names, as well as Catherine's mother and Catherine's father's wedding, until finally, they arrived at New York General Hospital.

Vincent briefly considered that one of his former colleagues could see and recognize him, thereby risking exposure to Muirfield and endangering his life, but he just as quickly dismissed that concern. If it meant saving Catherine and the baby's lives, he'd gladly journey to Hell and back. Twice.

Again lifting Catherine bridal-style, he carried her over the threshold into the hospital, while Heather ran a little ahead of him to get the doctors' attentions. He set her gently down on a gurney, before letting the doctors take over. As Catherine was wheeled into the emergency room, he assured her he would be waiting right there for her.

Vincent and Heather each took a seat in the waiting area, and anxiously awaited news on the condition of Catherine and the baby. Heather, at least, had hospital forms to keep her busy while they waited. Vincent could only keep his head down and hope no one from his past recognized him. He was just about to try and use his enhanced hearing to find out how Catherine and the baby were doing, when Thomas and Brooke Chandler arrived, followed by Evan. Vincent and Heather immediately stood and relayed what information they could, with Vincent silently hoping Evan wouldn't find him familiar. Then, while everyone else had a seat, Vincent remained standing, and, for lack of anything to do but worry, started pacing.

After finishing the paperwork and returning it to the receptionist, Heather returned to her seat and suggested, "I think we should pray."

"Good idea," Thomas agreed, before he, Heather, and Brooke bowed their heads together and began to pray. Evan opted not to join them, and instead, alternated between trying to strike up a conversation with Vincent and pestering the hospital staff.

Finally, after the longest hour any of them had ever experienced, a doctor came out - thankfully, no one Vincent knew - and reported that Catherine had nearly miscarried, but that she and the baby were stable, at which many sighs of relief could be heard, as well as Heather exclaiming, "Thank God!" The doctor also reported that they would be monitoring her closely for the next couple of weeks, and that her friends and family could visit with her for a little while, two at a time.

As concerned as Vincent was for Catherine and his unborn child, he let Thomas and Brooke visit with Catherine first, then Heather and Evan. After each pair had had their turn with the expectant mother, they headed home, leaving Vincent alone with Catherine. Heather offered to stay and give him a ride, but Vincent lied that he'd get a ride from his friend J.T. In truth, he planned to remain at the hospital with Catherine.

While heading towards Catherine's hospital room, he tried to act casual and keep his head down, especially after spotting a familiar redheaded nurse heading his way. When he approached Catherine's room, she greeted him weakly but happily, "Hey."

"Hey. How are you feeling?"

"Better now. Thank you." A brief but awkward pause ensued, before she added, "So, I guess the doctor explained what happened. What _nearly_ happened."

"Yeah. I'm just glad you and the baby are okay. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to either of you."

"Well, you don't have to worry," she assured him, smiling. "The baby and I are just fine."

"Yeah, for now. No one knows for sure what causes a miscarriage, or even a near-miscarriage, in a normal pregnancy. But if I had to guess, I'd say that in this case, the baby's DNA is mutating, like mine."

"That's just it, Vincent, you're guessing," she calmly pointed out. "And even if it is true, we'll deal with it. Together."

After a moment's pause, during which Vincent seemed about to say something but then changed his mind, he took her hand in his and agreed, "Together."

They exchanged smiles for a minute, before Catherine broke the silence by asking, "So, assuming you're right and our baby's DNA _is_ mutating, what do you think that means for him or her? You think every time he or she cries, they'll...you know, change? 'Cause I bet that'll go over real well at preschool."

They both took a second to chuckle at that, before Vincent replied, "It's hard to say, really. The baby's got half your DNA as well, so maybe it won't affect him or her until they're older."

"Great," she joked, "as if teenagers aren't difficult enough."

That elicited another laugh from them both.

For the next half-hour or so, they continued on like that, discussing their unborn child and trying to make light of the potential issues they would have to deal with, until eventually, Vincent decided to let Catherine get some rest. He started to say his goodbyes, when she asked, "Do you really have to go?"

"You and the baby need your rest," he pointed out. "I'll be up on the roof if you need me."

"But I can rest better with you right here with me," she countered with a warm smile.

At that, Vincent relented, though excused himself to call J.T. and catch him up to speed. When Vincent returned a couple of minutes later, he informed Catherine that J.T. had sent his sincerest apologies for what Catherine and the baby had gone through. Vincent then pulled up a chair and resumed speaking with Catherine, but before long, she had been lulled into sleep by his deep voice.

Moving to a couch in front of the room's only window, Vincent laid down and used his jacket as a blanket, even covering his head in case the redheaded nurse or anyone else from his past walked in while he was sleeping.

...

The following morning, after having coffee with Catherine - decaf for the expectant mother, of course - Vincent headed home to change out of his tux.

"Hey, man," J.T. greeted, in the midst of loading up his bag for the day. "You look like hell."

"Thanks," his roommate replied sarcastically. "I didn't get much sleep last night."

"So, how's Catherine doing?" J.T. asked tentatively.

"She and the baby are fine."

"So, any guesses as to what caused the near-miss last night?"

"Yeah. One." Vincent explained what Evan had told Catherine about Vincent's mutating DNA, before telling J.T. his theory that the baby's DNA was mutating as well. "Which is why I want to try again to find a cure."

"We've been trying off-and-on for ten years, man," J.T. pointed out. "What makes you think we're gonna just magically produce one? Just because your girlfriend's pregnant?"

"J.T., man, I'm not just doing it for myself this time. I want my kid to have a normal childhood. I want Catherine to be able to carry our baby to term. I want...I want to be able to be a normal family with Catherine and the baby, without worrying about Muirfield being on our asses."

Seeing how determind Vincent was to help Catherine and the baby, J.T. finally sighed and told him, "Alright. Count me in."

"Thanks, J.T."

"Yeah, well, don't thank me just yet. We don't even know if we'll succeed. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have classes to teach."

With that, he slung his bag over his shoulder, and was heading for the door, when Vincent stopped him.

"Hey, J.T.? I'd really appreciate it if we could keep it just between us. I don't want Catherine to worry."

"Don't worry," J.T. assured his roommate, heading for the door again, "my lips are sealed."

...

For the next couple of weeks, while Vincent spent his nights sneaking into the hospital to see Catherine, he spent his days working on finding a cure, in the process consulting the late Dr. Chandler's notes, which he and J.T. still had from when Catherine had helped them treat Vincent's blackouts. J.T. helped when he wasn't working, but even with his help, Vincent was no closer than before to discovering a cure.

During one such day, he especially wasn't having any luck, which frustrated him to no end, and to top everything off, his vision kept tinting everything red. He blinked hard to clear his vision, placing a thumb on one eyelid and an index finger on the other. Finally, in a fit of frustration, he lost control and shoved several vials, glass jars, and assorted medical equipment off a table he'd been working off of, before taking a deep breath and regaining his composure.

"I've gotta get out of here," he told himself.

Figuring he'd clean up the mess later, he left to take a walk. He didn't have a particular place in mind; he just figured he'd try to clear his head, even though it was still daylight out. So, without even meaning to, he wound up at New York General Hospital.

Upon realizing where he was, he figured he'd go ahead and visit with Catherine, even though it wasn't their usual time. Making his way to Catherine's room, he was able to sneak in without incident, and surprise her with a single red rose and the latest issue of _Cosmo_, both of which he picked up in the gift shop.

"Vincent," she greeted him, pleasantly surprised. "I wasn't expecting you until later. I just got some great news, though. I get to go home tomorrow."

"That's great," he replied, smiling.

"So, what brings you here this early? Not that I'm not happy to see you."

"Oh, you know, I was in the neighborhood."

She shot him a dubious look, so he smiled and confessed, "Alright. You caught me. I was walking around to try to clear my head, and I wound up here."

"Well, I'm glad to see you regardless," she assured him, smiling.

Taking a seat, he asked, "So, how are you and the baby doing today?"

"Vincent, you ask that every time," she reminded him goodnaturedly. Placing her hands on her abdomen, she added, "And as I tell you every time, we're fine."

From there, they started talking about anything and everything under the sun, until eventually, Vincent's vision tinted red again.

Noticing him blinking hard, she asked if he was okay.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," he replied. "I guess I'm just a little tired."

"Hey, that's my line," she teased.

He laughed a little at that, before Catherine became serious and asked him, "So, have you been losing sleep worrying about the baby and me?"

He said nothing, but the look he gave her spoke volumes.

"Well, don't," she told him, half-seriously. "You worrying makes me worry, and the baby doesn't need that. So, I want you to go home and get some rest." She waited a beat, before teasingly adding, "That's an order, soldier."

Smiling, he replied, "Aye-aye," and saluted her.

Then, she playfully added, "Besides, I'm going to need you well-rested when I get out of the hospital."

"Oh. Well, then," he began, getting up and giving her a kiss on the forehead. "In that case, I guess I better go rest up."

After saying their goodbyes, Vincent left and headed home, noticing the sun was already setting.

_Wow, was I in there that long?_ he thought to himself.

Later, as he ambled in the direction of home, he ducked down an alley, though soon, something started feeling not right. His 'spidey' senses were tingling, as J.T. would've put it, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was that was setting off his inner alarm system. Unfortunately, he didn't have long to worry about it, because just then, a black van pulled up behind him, grabbing his attention. Out of the van spilled six or seven Muirfield agents, who promptly leveled tasers at him.

Without much forethought, Vincent grabbed the one nearest him, and quickly disarmed the guy, before jamming an elbow into the guy's face. Then, he grabbed another one, and repeated the process. That's when the other agents started forward, and he fended them off one by one, flipping a couple to the ground and twisting the necks of a couple more, until finally, one managed to sneak behind him and fire a taser right between his shoulder blades, causing him to arch in pain. However, it wasn't until he was hit with a couple more tasers that they managed to knock him out.

Sometime later, he found himself in the back of the van, and expected to also find himself handcuffed as he laid there on the floor, but instead, his captors hadn't bothered. Apparently, they had assumed he'd be out for a while. That had been advantage number one.

Advantage number two came when he realized that none of the agents were paying him any mind. So, they were oblivious to the fact that he had regained consciousness, and he planned to press that advantage for as long as he could. That is, until he heard them mention Catherine and the baby.

"Shouldn't we grab the female as well?" one asked from a bench to his left.

"Not yet," responded another from a bench to Vincent's right. "Agent Kyle doesn't want to put 'undue stress' on the fetus. The female's nearly suffered a miscarriage already."

The agent belonging to the second voice was about to explain further, when he thought he heard a noise come from Vincent's direction, a noise that sounded suspiciously like growling. As he leaned down, the first agent who had spoken asked him what was wrong. When the second agent didn't respond, the first agent leaned down as well, and that was when Vincent made his move.

Without warning, Vincent grabbed the backs of their necks, and smacked their foreheads together hard enough to draw blood. Then, standing in the small confines of the van fully transformed, Vincent realized that while the back of the van was poorly lit, he could see as clear as day. He cocked his head to one side in a mixture of confusion and curiousity, though he didn't have long to marvel at his new ability, as the agents donned night-vision gear and charged at him. One even produced a cattle prod from under a bench, and struck him in the chest with it.

The force of the electricity sent him reeling back to the floor, but he just got right back up and sent the agent with the cattle prod flying into the doors with just one punch. Vincent then turned his attention to the agent nearest him, and jammed the heel of his palm into the guy's nose, sending his septum into his brain. Then, turning to the next guy, Vincent twisted the agent's neck, killing him instantly. For the last two agents standing, Vincent fought them both in hand-to-hand combat, until eventually one of them pulled out a gun and prepared to fire it. Acting quickly, Vincent grabbed the other guy and used him as a human shield, before struggling for the gun and forcing the agent to shoot himself.

Finally, Vincent marched to the front of the van, grabbed the driver's head, and knocked it against the steering wheel, before slamming it into the driver's side window. The van swerved, crashing into a telephone pole and killing the driver on impact.

Vincent then made his way back to the back of the vehicle, having returned to normal by then. Picking the agent with the cattle prod up off the floor, Vincent demanded answers.

"How did you know about Catherine's pregnancy?" he demanded to know, grabbing the agent by the throat.

"A...spy," the agent managed to choke out, "at the...hospital."

"What are your plans?"

"Pl-plans?"

"For Catherine and the baby."

"To...study," the agent reluctantly choked out.

At that, Vincent became enraged. Partially transforming, Vincent squeezed the life out of the agent's throat. Then, he dropped the agent and looked around at all the carnage, before kicking open the van's double doors and heading home.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * *

A/N #2: Sorry to have to break it to you, my fellow Beasties, but please don't expect an update anytime soon. Ya see, I'm going to be working on the last five chapters of another fan fiction of mine, "The Morning After". So, go ahead and let the rotten fruit fly; I've got my umbrella handy. ;)


End file.
